BioShock Infinite Achievement Guide

Hello and welcome to another guide. This time I’ll be discussing Bioshock Infinite and the many achievements that you can unlock.

When this was announced, I was so excited for its release. I have played both the previous Bioshock games and wondered how they would improve on this one.

I also did a Let’s Play on this game when it came out, no collectibles run, just running through the story mode. This is linked in the guide as well, just in case you’re stuck and want to watch. This can be found on my YouTube channel.

Anyway, moving on with the matter at hand. Bioshock Infinite was developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K Games – known for their UT3, Borderlands and other Bioshock games, this surely has to be good right?

So what is this game? Basically, its a first person shooter with powers on one hand. You (Booker) run around electrocuting, fire balling, stomping, possessing and shooting enemies with guns. Although this is the third Bioshock game to be released, the previous two (Bioshock 1 & 2) standalone from this game and so you don’t need to play them before this one. There is however a Rapture mention right at the end, you’ll only understand that if you have played the other two.

There is a decent checkpoint system in this game, where you can reset to a checkpoint where it will benefit you, either to grind kills with certain weapons, or for specific achievements. If you collect collectibles and then reset to a previous checkpoint, you will need to collect them again.

DLC Achievements – 30

Burial at Sea, Episode 1 – 10

Difficulty – 1/10

Completion Time – 2 Hours

Burial at Sea, Episode 2 – 10

Difficulty – 3/10

Completion Time – 5 Hours

Clash in the Clouds – 10

Difficulty – 6/10

Completion Time – 6 Hours

Playthroughs

The minimum number of playthroughs that you need is 1. However, I recommend doing at least 2, if not even 3.

I did my Let’s Play last year, finished the game on Normal and then left it fora bout a year, it was only when I re-completed it on the Xbox did I return to the PC version and I needed a reminder, so I am currently doing an easy playthrough to get the collectibles and familiarize myself with the game once again.

If you want to do this all in one playthrough (which is possible), you need the code to unlock 1999 mode right at the start. So from the Start menu, enter: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A.

This will also unlock an achievement as well, but you do get this achievement if you have played the story on Easy or Normal.

This is the game’s elite hardcore super duper 1337 mode, it can be quite difficult, so before attempting it – it is important to know what you’re facing.

Respawn Cost – $100

Damage Taken – 200%

Damage Dealt – 50%

Shield Regen Delay – 6 Seconds

Shield Regen Time – 4 Seconds

So as you can see, not as easy as you think. However, there is a decent method to get you through this. The Season Pass (which adds DLC to your game and is needed to get other achievements) significantly buffs you in the early game, quite ridiculous really. Just before you acquire the Shield Vigor from that lovely two couple, you get prompted that because you have the Season Pas, you must collect all the collectibles in this room before proceeding. The room is literally a loot haven, there is about 5 Vigors that you can collect to boost your health, salts and shield to really stack you. There are 4 kits that you can equip that will significantly help you.

One thing the Season pass does give you is ‘Electric Punch’, just as the name suggests, each melee has a 70% chance of stunning an enemy target for 4 seconds. This does not include Handymen or Sirens though.

I read what somebody else suggested, going for a more melee orientated playthrough as opposed to going through guns blazing. Here is the suggested kit/gear for this type of playthrough.

Electric Punch (or Electric Touch if no season pass) – Gives 70% chance to stun an enemy for 4 seconds.

As you can see, now this 1999 mode doesn’t seem so hard. Although, there are certain area’s where the melee stuff just isn’t going to cut it and you will need to use a weapon. The enemies are not that smart, so the weapon choice here is pretty easy. They sit and just look gormless, so hitting a headshot is fairly easy – also with turrets, the range is good to have, so the weapon to use is the Carbine. You are allowed to upgrade you weapons, so I recommend upgrading this weapon and using it.

The last piece of advice that I will give you, upgrade your health over the shield and salts. I would roughly use a ratio of either 2:1 or 3:1 in Health to Salts.

You get the Sky-Hook melee weapon just after the raffle, you must execute 20 enemies to get this, it’s easier early on because the enemies do not have any armor, to do an execution, hold the execute button down. It is also worth noting that when an enemy is low on HP, a little skull appears above his head meaning that he is ready for execution.

The Machine Gun is typically the most common weapon that you find on enemies, later on however, you will find a lot of Vox Repeaters as well. The weapon is essentially the game, just the repeater is the Vox version of the Machine Gun.

Similarly to the above, the Shotgun is a fairly common weapon throughout the game and the Vox Heater is just the Vox version of the Shotgun. As you know, very inaccurate at long range bu very accurate and deadly at close range.

If you are doing the 1999 mode and using the Carbine, this will be a very easy achievement. Good range, good damage and a fair amount of ammo available throughout the game. Once you start fighting the Vox, then the burstgun is an alternative.

There are multiple opportunities throughout the game in which you can use the Sniper Rifle, it’s pretty pants if you ask me which is why I prefer the Carbine over it. However, once upgraded it’s fairly good.Just watch for the Tear’s, it’s quite common there.

This is a strange gun really, I always picture it like a small pig bomb or something..this weapon is most effective in close range and does not splash, again, I would say quite a scarce weapon, so when its available, I would use it.

Best weapon to use whilst flying around the Skyline to be honest, or in a firefight because there always seems to be a tear available as well. The ammo is not the best, but Elizabeth does give some ammo when she finds it (brand new weapons?!?!?!?!).

If you are playing this on a computer keyboard, it is quite simple. The Vigors are binded to the number keys, 1-8 and you can simply select them by pressing the designated key. So for this achievement, you just need to use all of the 8 vigors against enemies. Below is a guide on where to find them.

Possession

Just as the name suggests, you can take control of machinery and enemies and force them to be allies for a certain amount of time. You will get this Vigor during the story right before the raffle. You can use this Vigor to combo with Shock Jockey or Devil’s Kiss.

Devil’s Kiss

Allows you to throw Fireballs or place trap grenades, you will stumble across this just after defeating your first Fireman. You can use this to combo with the Possession, Charge, Bucking Bronco and Murderous Crows Vigor’s.

Murder Of Crows

This one is probably one of the most useless (personal opinion), it allows you to fire a group of murderous crows at your enemies, it does stun however, but I feel it doesn’t do much damage. You get this Vigor by defeating the leader of the Cult of Ravens and it can be used to combo with Devil’s Kiss or Shock Jockey.

Bucking Bronco

This one definitely doesn’t sound like what it does. You can elevate enemies with this Vigor, but not heavy enemies such as Patriots & Handymen. You come across it in Soldier’s Field and you can use it with Devil’s Kiss or Change.

Shock Jockey

The standard Vigor if I’m honest across all Bioshock games. The shock mod. This Vigor allows you to stun enemies and you come across it fairly early on during the Hall of Heroes by following the story. You can use it together with Possession, Murder of Crows and Undertow.

Charge

Simply Vigor, yet hugely useful when playing on harder difficulties 0 this one allows you to charge at your enemies, you’ll get this just as you leave Shanty Town. However, if you like to explore, just before you enter Shanty Town for the first time, you’ll notice that it’s locked up, as you enter a new tear and leave Shanty Town, the gate is unlocked. You can use this Vigor to combo with either Devil’s Kiss or Bucking Bronco.

Undertow

This one is somewhat misleading, Undertow is a water/octopus kind of Vigor which sounds really weird. You can use it to push or pull enemies towards you, as you push them, you fire a jet water spray. You come across this in Jeremiah Fink’s office and cannot miss it really, you can also combo it with the Shock Jockey Vigor as well.

Return To Sender

This Vigor ties with the Crows one (in my opinion) I rarely use this one, its as the name suggests, you can absorb incoming projectiles or bullets and fire them back at your enemy. You need to do a little bit of hunting to get this one, it’s found in a secret room inside the Salty Oyster Bar, to get in this room however, you need to find the Voxphone that prompts you to push the button by the cash register. Once found, you cannot combo this vigor with anything else, so I personally don’t feel its very useful.

To upgrade Vigor’s, you can use the ‘Veni Vidi Vigor’ machines that are located, I have made a nice little table now so you can see cost of each upgrade.

Killed 75 enemies either with a Vigor or while the enemy is under the effects of a Vigor.

This is a fairly easy achievement to get and you should get it way before the end of the game if I’m honest. You can grind it as well if necessary, but I don’t think that is. When it says “under the effect”, this can be if they are elevated from Bucking Bronco, on fire, or shocked or even knocking enemies off of Colombia with Undertow.

This is quite difficult, the best way to do this is to use the Devil’s Kiss trap in choke points. I found an easy one that you can do though, just as you enter the Order of the Raven. There is a group of at least 6 enemies below, just throw a Devil cluster down there and reload the checkpoint.

This is pretty cool, if you upgrade the Possession Vigor, this will go much easier. Simply possess 20 MACHINES, not Humans, MACHINES, so turrets etc and let them kill 20 enemies. Rocket turrets are the best, no explanation needed there.

This is another fairly easy achievement to get, when you stumble across an area with the option to bring in a turret or something, you know something’s going down. Just let them kill 20 enemies to net this one, Rocket turrets are the best, again, do not need to explain why. Mosquito’s are decent as well.

Environmental hazards are hazards that are only available in the environment, such as gas spills, water etc etc. You can use Devil’s Kiss to set barrels or oil spills alight and use Shock Jockey to do the same for water, either way, you will get this through natural progression.

There are a number of different ways that you can get this one. I personally did it during the fight for the Shock Jockey, as the enemies ran left or right, they jumped down, I headshot’d them whilst they did that and it counted, otherwise you can use Undertow and then Shock Jockey.

Handymen usually have a big ball in their chest, big open target that says “SHOOT ME”. There is a glitch though and you can get this easily, Just after you exit the Gun Shop, the Handyman will attack you, just get him onto the roof and he’ll just sit there, easy pickings really.

Upgraded one attribute (Health, Shield, or Salts) to its maximum level.

You come across vials of infusion throughout the game, this can be used to either upgrade your Health, Salts or Shield. Depending on what playthrough you are doing depends on what you want to max, but simply max one of those 3 to 10 and you’ll get this. If you have the Season pass, you get 5 early on.

This will come through natural progression, when you’re stuck Elizabeth will pick locks or ones that you choose for her to do, you will find lockpicks in desks, on desks and around. Just get her to pick 30 locks and you’re golden.

This achievements depends on your gaming style, if you like to explore, you will get this fairly early on, if not then it will be late game. Basically any container/thing you can loot, do so and you will get it.

*** – I found a really nice guide online that describes this with video’s, I do not own this guide, it has been done by someone called Maka and it’s really good. I found it simply by using Google to find a collectible guide. All credit must go to Maka for this

Complete the game in 1999 Mode without purchasing anything from a Dollar Bill vending machine.

So when you were playing the game on easy and you thought, “Oh, I’ll just quickly buy some ammo.” Simple right? Wrong. If 1999 mode, do not even go near the Dollar Bill Machines, if you accidentally go into one, don’t buy anything and the achievement will still unlock.

The gallery is located in The Columbian Archeological Society. You’ll see the sign once you start the DLC, its above some double doors. If you go and take a look, you’ll notice that it costs you money to do stuff, so the only way to earn money is to defeat enemies and gain enough for these unlockables. To get everything, the total amount that you will need is £24,400.

The rest of the achievements are more or less Vigor/Weapon orientated, some of them are make a second appearance.. yay!

In CitC, knocked an enemy off the city with Undertow, then rescued him, then knocked him off again.

This one is kinda cool, but a little buggy from what I hear. You need to mes about with an enemy by pushing him away then pulling him back and then pushing him away again and you need to do this by a ledge to get the achievement.

In CitC, used all eight different vigor combos to deliver the killing blow on an enemy.

It returns! The Vigor combinations, by instead of just using them on an enemy, you now need the killing blow. The easiest way to do this is to fully upgrade your Vigors before doing it. But just for your reference, here are the combinations.

In CitC, killed an enemy with splash damage by shooting a rocket out of the air.

This sounds a lot cooler then it is really, you just need to weapon an enemy with and RPG significantly, then when they shoot, shoot the rocket to kill them – this may take some practice to get, but you should be okay with it.

Final achievement and one that you should really leave until the very end.

There are 4 different stages that you have to complete 15 waves on enemies on, each of them have a Blue Ribbon Challenge available. When you begin a wave, you can check the inventory to see what the Blue Ribbon challenge is. If you die, you automatically fail the challenge and if you were on wave 15, you start at wave 1 with no challenges secured, therefore, I would strongly suggest leaving these until the end until you are full upgraded with Vigor’s and weapons before attempting them. There is a nice guide as well just in case you’re stuck, I do not own this guide, I simply googled for it. Full credit should be given to him.

There are a total of 17 Audio Diaries to find throughout this DLC, they are not difficult to find and just through sheer curiosity and playing, you should find them with ease. However, I have found a nice little guide online to help you if you are stuck. I do not own this video to clarify and full credit must be given to the author.

Purchased any two upgrades for Old Man Winter or Radar Range in Burial at Sea – Episode 1.

This can be earned fairly early on depending on your play style. If you’re exploring and finding crash then you won’t have a problem. Both cost a total of $350, so it doesn’t really matter which one you get.

Name

Upgrade

Cost

Found

Old Man Winter

Winter Boost

$125

Gene Bank

Old Man Winter

Winter Mod

$225

Gene Bank

Radar Range

Accelerator Mod

$150

El Ammo Bandito

Radar Range

Slow Cook Mod

$200

El Ammo Bandito

Now that you have the upgrades, there are achievements relating to using those upgrades.

You should get this just by natural story progression, you’ll notice the turrets, they are small and beep at you when you are in range – they have a mini spotlight that turns red when they are about to shoot you, just kill 10 either with plasmids or weapons.

Damaged fifteen foes with an exploding enemy, using the Radar Range in Burial at Sea – Episode 1.

If you’re unsure, the Radar Range is a brand new weapon that is found in this DLC. You first come across it after you’ve taken the Tram, you’ll enter The Bistro and this is where you’ll find it. You need the audio log which has a code to unlock the door to get it. Now as soon as you get it, 3 enemies spawn directly behind you. By killing the middle enemy, you will damage the other 2 which gives you 2/15 for this achievement. You can then either play naturally or reload the checkpoint to farm it.

You unlock the Old Man Winter plasmid through the story line, you need to freeze enemies and then melee them to smash them. Get up close and personal so you can do it quickly. Obviously purchasing both upgrades will make it easier.

Right at the beginning, you find yourself in front of a lock to the Silver Fin Restaurant, this is a checkpoint area as well, you need to hit the blue tube when unlocking the door to correctly do it and not trigger the alarm. Just rinse and repeat, but you can get this through natural progression.

You first get the gas bolts in the Bathysphere workshop and this is the best opportunity to get it, as you sneak around the corner, there are 3 splicers just talking to each other, either by jumping crouch fire the gas bolt at them and if you’re lucky, it will take out all 3, but certainly 2. You can reload if you didn’t get it, but I recommend this spot.

Used Ironsides to collect 20 rounds of ammo or more in Burial at Sea – Episode 2.

To clarify, Ironsides is a plasmid that allows you absorb incoming bullets and replenishes your own ammo. You can get this fairly easily and shouldn’t have too much trouble, just make sure that you do not already have max ammo as it won’t count.

On three occasions, knocked out an enemy after silently dropping off a Freight Hook.

This achievement is the first stealthy one really, you need to silently knock out an enemy 3 times, the easiest way to do it is either is in the Service Bay Hub area, Manta Ray or Suchong’s Lab. You can only remain on the hook for a short amount of time before it starts making a noise and you spook the enemies, so timing is crucial. You need to cough just before you land to make sure that you do quietly and then quickly melee the enemy to take them out.